Justin Bieber’s double or lookalike, Tobias Strebel, the 35-year-old reality star was discovered dead in a motel room in Los Angeles.
While the cause of death is not yet determined, drugs and other medications were also found in the room in Motel 6 in North Hills in the San Fernando Valley Area in Los Angeles, reported Variety. An autopsy is believed to have been carried out as part of the investigations.
The reality star, known by his stage name Toby Sheldon, first appeared on the TV show, Botched, where the plastic surgery junkie explained his reason to want to appear like Justin Bieber. On the show, he had revealed that he became obsessed with his physical appearance when he was 23 and his hair then starting thinning.
However, when pre-pubescent Justin Bieber hit the popularity charts in 2008, Toby Strebel decided to undergo surgeries so that he could look like the ‘Boyfriend’ singer. He believed that Justin Bieber was the ‘complete package’ with ‘full, luscious lips, ‘bright, open eyes’ and his ‘swept-over bangs’. The reality star’s ultimate dream was to sing a duet with his idol.
Tobias Strebel alias Toby Sheldon, has made multiple memorable appearances in numerous TV reality and news shows, including Inside Edition, The Doctors, Bethenny and E!’s Botched. The reality star claimed that he has spent over $100,000 for various surgical procedures, cosmetic treatments and hair transplants to make him a Justin Bieber lookalike in one such show, TLC’s My Strange Addiction, reports Dailymail. Strebel even tried his hand at his own music album in an effort to be more like his idol.
The 35-year-old aspiring singer was reported missing three days ago after a purported break-up with his boyfriend and was seen for the last time on August 18 in West Hollywood, according to the Dailymail. When his friend reported him missing, he said that it was not like Toby Strebel to disappear just like that. ‘This is very unusual for him to be missing. He hasn’t done by, not shown up for no reason, no note or anything,’ Mel Espinoza, Strebel’s friend, told ABC7.
The reality star’s spokesperson confirmed the news of his death to Mirror Celebs saying that he was devastated by the tragic news. Despite the fact that there was a lot of bad mouthing about the reality star, Toby Strebel was a kind and caring person and he respected everyone around him.
